Propelling apparatus applicable particularly to the propelling of lawn tennis balls and other game missiles and the like



111116 14, 1932. STUART 1,863,035 PROPELLING' APPARATUS APPLICABLEPARTICULARLY TO THE PROPELLING OF LAWN TENNIS BALLS AND OTHER GAMEMISSILES. AND THE LIKE Filed D60. 27, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l 760/7705jfwr/ 4-M June 14, 1932. T. STUART 1,863,035 PROPELLING APPARATUSAPPLICABLE PARTICULARLY To THE PROPELLING 0P LAWN TENNIs BALLS AND OTHERGAME MISSILES AND THE LIKE Filed D60. 27, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 //V 5 NTOE 7720/2705 Sfuarf 3/ M M flTTO/EWEKS June 14, 1932. STUART 1,863,035

PROPELLING APPARATUS APPLICABLE PARTICULARLY TO THE PROPELLING OF LAWNTENNIS BALLS AND OTHER GAME MISSILES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 27, 1929 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Thomas 5/2590 June 14, 1932. T STUART 1,863,035PROPELLING APPARATUS APPLICABLE PARTICULARLY TO THE PROPELLING OF LAWNTENNIS BALLS AND OTHER GAME MISSILES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 27, 1929 4Sheets-Sheet 4 nvmvroxe 7770/1745 fifuarz Patented June 14, 1932 umraoSTATE$ PATENT OFFICE THOMAS STUART, OF ERDINGTON, BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND,ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, F ONE-HALF T0 DUNLOP RUBBERCOMPANY LIMITED, 0] BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, A BRITISH CORPORATION, ANDONE-HALF TO JEAN BEN! LACOSTE, 0] SYLVESTERE, COUBLEVAIE, SEINE, FRANCEPROIELLING APPARATUS APPLICABLE PARTICULARLY TO THE PROPELLING OF TENNISBALLS AND OTHER GAME MISSILES AND THE LIKE Application filed December27, 1929, Serial No. 416,868, and in Great Britain January 1, 1929.

This invention relates to apparatus for proelling lawn tennis balls andthe like of the 'nd wherein a rotatable blade spring is provided whichmeets in its rotation a stop which cocks it, wherein the ball issupported a certain distance from said stop, and wherein when saidspring escapes it strikes the ball so as to project it.

The object of the invention is to simplify and improve such apparatusboth as regards construction and use. I

According to this invention Iprovide apparatus of the kind describedwherein the spring is carried or operated by a rotary bus or the likemounted upon a stationary spindle or the like, said bush being rotatedby a handle or the like, either directly or alternatively through freewheel mechanism.

Various other features or provisions of my invention will becomeapparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of thehead part of apparatus, constructed according to the preferredembodiment of my invention, adapted for the projection of lawn tennisballs to a person practising the strokes of the game.

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are plan views of certain details of the said head partof the apparatus.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are respectively end, side and plan views of thecomplete apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of myinvention.

Figure a is a cross sectional view of a detail of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a side view showing said apparatus collapsed as fortransport.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the inventionand Fig. 10 is a detail side view of a portion of a modified form of theinvention.

Figure 1 shows a blade spring 1 carried by a bush 2 rotatably mountedupon a stationary spindle 3 supported by the tubular standard of theapparatus 4, sald bush 2 being rotated by a handle 5 which it carries.

There is also provided non-return ratchet mechanism 6 comprising firstlya ratchet wheel 6a fixed rigidly to a part 6?) of the head which isstationary when the apparatus is in operation, and secondly a pawlcarried by a bush 2. This mechanism functions to hold the handle 5 in aposition of ready accessibility, preventing said handle swinging to thebottom position and continuin to swing there; said pawl also preventstie handle h being rotated in the wrong direction with consequent damageto the spring-further it functions as a safety device obviating thepossibility of the handle swinging back violently should itinadvertently be released while loading the spring.

A guard 7 having a channel-shaped ed e 7a is provided as shown toenclose part 0 the travel of the spring, said guard being supported uponthe spindle 3 by one edge 7 b of said channel 7a being extended towardssaid spindle and carrying a boss fitting thereon.

The stop whereby the spring is loaded or cooked comprises a spindle 8which is carried by the guard 7 so as to project transversely across thechannel 7 a thereof into the part of the spring 1. The spindle 8 maycarry an anti-friction roller 81;.

The balls 9 to be propelled are positioned successively at the end of aguide 10 formed integral with the guard aforesaid by shaping the saidguard as shown at 10a, said balls being fed to the guide through a holeor outlet 10?; in the top of said guard.

The lower end of this guide is formed into a lip 100 adapted to supportthe lowest ball and spring loaded plungers 10d are provided as shown,correctly to align the ball in said guide and lip.

In operation the handle 5 is rotated and so directly rotates thespring 1. Said rotation is resisted by the stop 8 and thereby saidSpring is deflected and loaded. Finally the eflection is such that thespring presses past the sto and so, assuming its normal formation, icksviolently into contact with the ball to project the same. The operatorthen throws the handle forward, which more or less amounts to allowingit to follow through, and it swings loosely round and is held at theheight of its swing back by the non-return ratchet mechanism 6.

Having given an outline of the preferred form of apparatus and itsfunctioning, I will IIOiW describe various features and some detai Amagazine 11 is in communication with the guide 10 said magazine beingseated on a platform 11a integral with the guard 7. As shown in thedrawings said magazine comprises four vertical chambers 1115, eachcarrying three balls one above the other, the whole magazine beingrotatable by a grip 11c, bodily about a central bearing 11d, so that thechambers are successively aligned with the outlet 10b which passesthrough the platform 11a. The bearing 11d comprises a hole 116 in theplatform 11a into which hole fits a spindle extension 11) of themagazine 11. Lightly to lock the magazine in its various positions aspring loaded plunger 119 is provided which engages appropriately spaceddepres. sions on the extension 11;. This detent is also the anchoragefor the magazine, the latter being readily removable as to discouragepromiscuous use of the apparatus, merely by pulling back the plunger11g, the magazine being then bodil removable.

The spring 1 may be associated with damping provision; as shown in thedrawings, the same comprises making the spring 1 laminat ed andproviding small helical springs 1a acting in compression between thepropelling spring 1 and the bracket 16 carried by the bush 2.

Provision is made to vary both the speed and the trajectory of theprojected ballto vary the speed, the stop 8 is mounted in a slot 85 soas to be movable into the rotational part of the spring 1 to a greateror lesser degree, thereby to vary the deflection and loading of thespring and consequently the force with which it strikes the ball when itescapes. To look the stop in position I provide a handle 80 whichco-acts with a screwed extension 8d of the spindle 8 as shown in Figure1, the spindle 8 having an annular part 86 which fits to the slot 8?) soas to prevent rotation of the spindle 8 while tightening. A frictionWasher 87 may be provided if desired.

To vary the trajectory of the ball the guard 7, together with the wholehead, is rotated bodily about the axis of the spindle 3, so that theball starts its flight from a different position in relation to thefloor.

It is a feature of the invention that the spindle 3 functions also tolock the head in mounted in a slot 4a in the standard 4 and has anangular face 3a to prevent it rotating therein. To effect the clampingthere is a handle 3?) which co-acts with a screw extension of thespindle 3 so as to clamp the said spindle rigid, and also to clamp theboss of the guard 7 ri 'dly against the face 4b of the standard 4.friction washer 40 may be provided if desired.

So that the handle 5 may always swing back into a comfortable positionof ready accessibility irrespective of the angle to which the guard 7 isadjusted for trajectory, the position of said handle in relation to thebush 2 is adjustableas shown particularl in Figures 1 and 2 itisretained on saidhus by a pair of studs 5a fixed in the bush and whichpass through slot 5?) in the handle, a double taper connection 50, 5dbein made between said handle and said bush. this way the handle may befixedto the bush in a M plurality of positions along said slots-theclamping means being wing nuts 5e so that the handle may be readilytightened or loosened as desired.

As shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 the standard 4. is associated with awheeled carriage 12 comprising firstly a foot 12a carrying the wheels12?) and extending across the end of said standard integral with it, andsecondly a platform connected to the said foot 12a by converging sidemembers 12d. To facilitate movement of the apparatus say about a lawntennis court handles may be provided or the guard 7 may be so adapted ordisposed as to provide facility for handling.

For purposes of transport and storage the apparatus is adapted tocollapse into a comparativelyv small compass. Referrin to Figure 8 thestandard 4 is pivotal on the ase 120, 12d, so as to swing closelyagainst the same, while the guard 7 and associated parts is removablefrom the slot 4a and securable, in a further slot 4d in the standard,the slot 4d being at a right angle to the slot 4a, that is,co-incidental with the aforesaid platform.

--The locking provision for the standard 4 on the base 12c, 12d is shownin Figures 5, 5a and 7 and comprises two specially shaped slots 12s inthe foot 12a, said slots each having two spaced notches 12g and 12h,adapted to co-act with the members 12d in-the operating and collapsedpositions respectively. Screwed pins 127' are provided to anchor saidmembers in said notches, said pins engaging sunken holes 1270 in the endof the members 12d. The pins contact the bottom of the holes 1270 forlocking purposes, but even in collapsing never entirely leave the holesor otherwise the foot 12a would no longer be anchored to the base 12c,1212. The bearings for the wheels 12?) are tubular spigots 12m fixed inthe foot 12a and the pins 127' ass through spigots being screw threadedin t em as shown at 1211,. v

In the vertical-or operati position of the standard 4 the foot 12a ishdlr l y the engagement of the members 12d with the notches 12g, thepins 129' locking said members firmly therein. In collapsing, the pins127" are loosened with the aid of the grip 12;), the standard 4 isfolded towards the base 12c, 12d and the foot 12a by means of the slots12c, forces the members 12d apart against their own springiness, untilthe position shown in Figure 8 is reached, when the said members springback into the notch 1%, Figure 5. The pins 121' are then tightened onthe standard and base which are thereby held firmly together in thecollapsed position.

It should be understood that I do not confine myself to precisely theforegoing arrangement, as for example of the bush 2 being rotateddirectly by a handle fixed to it, alternatively said bush may be rotatedby a similar handle mounted independently of it and operating it throughfree wheel mechanism.

Referring to Figures 9 and 10, which illustrate one arrangement of sucha scheme here the bush 2 is provided with ratchet teeth 13 and isrotated by a driving pawl 14 carried by the handle 5 which is supportedon the spindle 3 independently of the bush 2.

In the arrangement shown the guard 7 in the other scheme) comprises acover 15 w ich completely encloses the various moving parts such as thepropelling spring and its free wheel operating mechanism, said coverhaving a circular assembly opening 15a closed by a cap 15?) which isrotatably mounted upon the spindle 3, as shown in Figure 9, said capcarrying the operating handle 5.

The non-return mechanism (6 in the other scheme) comprises in thisinstance a pawl 16 carried by the cover 15, said pawl functioning tolock the bush 2 While the operating I handle 5 is being moved backwardlyinto the most convenient position from which to start the loadingrotation.

Provision may be made to eliminate pawl noise, the pawls beingassociated with small blade springs 14a and 16a respectively whichfrictionally engage the side faces of the bush to lift the pawls clearof the ratchet teeth during rotation thereofthe pawls are causednormally to engage said teeth by the springs 14b and-16b respectively.

The remainder of the arrangement and the various provisions aresubstantially as in the first embodiment except for details such as thebush being mounted as shewn in Figure 9 on ball bearings, and it will beapparent that details such as this may be common to both schemes.

Operation of the alternative arrangement.

is as follows 2 In use, the spring 1 having been 'tioned ashereinafterset orth closely acent the stop 8', the operatin handle 5 isrotated, through say thirty egrees, thereby to rotate t e bush and thespring. As before the spring is thereby cocked and subsequently releasedto project the ball. That done, the spring, by virtue of its surplusenergy, contlnues its rotation until it meets the startin side of thestop 8. Said spring isretaine closely adjacent said stop ready for thenext operation, that is said s ring is prevented from rotating looselybac by either or both of the pawls 14, 16.

For the next operation the handle 5 is ro- I tated backwardly to acomfortable and efficient position from which to start forward, orloading, rotation -the non-return awl 16 meantime restraining theratchet against rotation with said handle,and the motions set out in thenext preceding paragraph are repeated.

Other alternative details include the following While the provisions ofm invention allow me to use only one propel in spring and still toachieve particularly spee y o eration, I may alternativel use aplurality o springs radially arrange Preferably however I 'utilize onlyone as inthis way I obviate any possibility of variation in projectiondue to variation in different springs; and of course cost is reduced.

Again the magazine may be a single chamber such as a tube or a hopperrigid with the guard. Or the chambers 11?) may be adapted to take morethan three balls.

Again I may operate the spring through suitable gearing. And theapparatus may be driven by power means.

Again in the free wheel operating scheme I may use a free wheel of thetype comprising concentric rings with engaging members dis osed betweenthem.

gain Imay make provision to impart spin or rotation to the ball as it isprojected-it may be caused to contact parts interposed slightly into itstrajectory or the propulsion member may strike it out of centre eitheror both laterally or vertically.

And finally, for the purpose of readily altering the direction of flightof the balls, the head may be mounted so as to be rotatable about thevertical axis of the standard or the standard may be similarly mountedin relation to the base. i

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for propelling tennis balls comprising a supporting head, aspindle, a spring mounted for rotation about the axis of saidspindle,said spindle comprising means to lock the head of the apparatus inposition when tightened in its mounting andtofreetheheadsothatsaidheadcanbe moved bodily around the spindle for thepurpose described when said spindle is loosened. 2. Apparatus of thetype described which comprises a channel shaped curving guide, means forrotating the free end of a sprin in said guide means for placing atennis ha in the path of said spring, a stop for restraining said springin advance of said handle for rotating said spring, an for adjusting theposition '0 sai tive to said spring.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

THOMAS STUART.

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